


Last/First

by AnimeFanime



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anal Sex, Assassin Victor Nikiforov, Assassins & Hitmen, Attempted Murder, Blow Jobs, Childhood Trauma, False Identity, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Guns, Identity Reveal, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Knives, Loss of Virginity, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Nightmares, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protectiveness, Revenge, Romance, Secrets, Soulmates, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2018-12-15 11:31:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11805132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeFanime/pseuds/AnimeFanime
Summary: Victor just had to take care of one last job.He should've known it wouldn't be that simple.It rarely was.Assassin + Soulmate AU





	1. V

**Author's Note:**

  * For [itakethewords (BluntBetty)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluntBetty/gifts).



Victor could barely sense the vibration of his phone as he strode down the hall just off the main area of the club. Heavy beats pounded loudly, causing the walls to shake and reverberate through to his bones.

He ducked into a small storage room, knowing that there was only one person’s number that would go through when he had it in do not disturb mode.  His azure-hued eyes scanned his surroundings carefully as he pressed the button on his earpiece to answer the call.

“Yes?”

“Are you still in Detroit?”  The gruff, heavily accented Russian voice inquired.

“Yes,” Victor responded coolly as he pulled out his gun from the holster hidden at his lower back beneath his suit jacket.  He swiftly attached a silencer he'd kept tucked away in an inner pocket.  “I should be wrapped up here within the next 10 minutes or so if all goes well.”

"As it usually does with you,” The man released a chuckle that trailed off into a weary sigh.  “I have another job for you.  It just came through and it’s in Detroit-”

“I told you this was my last job Yakov,” Victor’s gaze narrowed as he released the safety, cracking the door open to peer into the hallway.

“They’ll pay three times your normal fee…and it’s just one target.”

“Why so much?” He asked suspiciously.  “What’s the catch?”

“You need to execute the hit within the next 24 hours.”

“Seriously?” Victor rolled his eyes as he considered the offer.  It would be an easy way to pad his ‘retirement fund’ even further and for such little effort.

“I have someone else stateside right now who could handle it, but I wanted to give you first crack at it as a courte-”

“Alright, alright…just send me the details,” Victor sighed and hung up the phone, not bothering to discuss it further.  If Yakov believed the job was within his capabilities and he was offering him easy money, he didn’t need to know more than that.  He’d worked with the former assassin turned information broker since he started doing this kind of work over a decade ago and trusted him implicitly.

Victor pulled out his phone and opened the app that controlled the live camera feed in the room ahead.  He confirmed the positions of the five men within before slipping it back in his pocket.  Satisfied that all of the targets are in attendance, he slid quietly into the hallway, looking both ways once more before swiftly striding forward.  

The sound of boisterous, drunken laughter emanated from beyond the closed door at the end of the hall.  Victor wasted no time as he raised his gun and reached out with his other hand to throw it open.

The men stared at him in various states of confusion and surprise.  Those expressions would remain frozen on their faces as he rapidly shot them down one after another. The muffled release of his gun was the last sound they'd hear.

Except for the final man. His face was full of terror, knowing what was coming and barely having a moment to try and reach for his own gun before a bullet caught him between the eyes.

_Well, shit.  That was anticlimactic.  How boring..._

Victor’s brow furrowed in disappointment as he closed the door, locking it with a sigh and making his way around the room.  He swiftly unloaded an extra bullet in each of the men’s skulls before grabbing the hidden camera he’d tucked away the day before on a shelf in the corner of the room.  His movements spoke of experience and a cold, ruthless efficiency as he switched out the clip of his gun for a full one before holstering it again.

Confident that the job was completed to the client’s satisfaction, he opened a slim case he’d retrieved from his pocket and tossed one of his calling cards on the table.  The black business card was embossed with a simple, small, matte gold ‘V’ in the upper right-hand corner.  It was something he’d started doing about two years into his career as an assassin.  Yakov had voiced his opinions on the matter for quite some time, telling him that his penchant for drama and mystery garnered unnecessary attention.

However, Victor had ultimately decided long ago that taking credit for a job well done wasn’t something to be ashamed of.  It had made him a bit of a legend in the business after all…as well as with the international intelligence community.  No matter what kind of traps they tried to set for him over the years, they never had figured out who he was or what he looked like.  Victor was thorough, leaving witnesses was something he had managed to avoid with minimal collateral damage.  The only man with knowledge of his appearance was Yakov and he trusted him to avoid being placed in a situation where he’d have to share that information.

On the rare occasion over the years when he’d taken time off, it was only when he’d needed to lay low from law enforcement or rivals who were interested in taking him out.  He could never stay away long though, especially when rumors would start to circle that perhaps ‘V’ had finally met his end.  

Naturally, he’d always come back with a hit so spectacular, a body count so high, that it silenced any words to the contrary as they discovered his little black card laying amongst the dead.  Victor eyed the room one final time before peering out into the hallway.  Finding it empty, he exited and shut the door tightly behind him.

 _Now I’ll just blend in with the crowd for a little while and slip out of here before they find the bodies_.  He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the collar of his white dress shirt as he made his way around the corner into the area containing the club’s restrooms, located just off the main dance floor.  He quickly shoved his leather gloves in an inner jacket pocket next to the silencer and ruffled his hair a bit to complete the illusion that he was just another guy out to blow off some steam after a long week at work.

He kept his head down as a couple of girls made their way past him, leaning on each other as they giggled incessantly, wasted out of their minds and paying him no attention.  Victor slipped into the crowd of people swaying to the beat outside the hallway, falling immediately into the rhythm of the bodies moving around him.  He mixed seamlessly with the attractive, well-dressed throngs of clubgoers, dancing and grinding upon one another under the dim lights.

He smiled and flirted with the intoxicated strangers around him, moving from dance partner to dance partner with a playful wink and a cheeky grin as he wove his way through them toward the front of the club.  The scent of sweat, perfume and desire poured thick and heavy from the bodies surrounding him at every turn until he blessedly reached the edge and was free from it.

Well, almost…

 _Shit!_ Victor heard a shriek ring out over the pulsing beats and only had a moment to register that a body was tumbling backward down the small set of stairs leading from the dance floor.  He instinctively caught the raven-haired male before he could hit the ground.

“I’m so sorry!” The young man cried out apologetically, turning in Victor’s arms as he steadied him with a firm grip.

“It’s alright, I-” He was silenced as their eyes met and he gazed into a gorgeous pair of cinnamon-hued irises.  The young Japanese man before him released a barely audible gasp as the world melted away around them and the only sound Victor could hear was the rapid beat of his own heart in his ears.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link to Last/First aesthetic [HERE](https://animefanimefic.tumblr.com/post/163276158151/lastfirst)


	2. Let's Leave Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _What is this feeling?_  
>  Victor and Yuuri connect.

Victor wasn’t sure how long they stood there staring at one another.  He knew he should move, keep going, leave…

But it was as if he was frozen to the spot unable to bear the thought of being separated from the other man.

“What’s your name?”  Victor murmured in the other man’s ear, lips brushing along the lobe as he leaned in close enough to be heard over the din of the club.  The raven shivered at the contact, even as his face grew warmer, a rosy blush gracing his features as he leaned in closer.  The pull of their connection undeniable...  

_What is this feeling?_

“Yuuri,” He breathed out as he gazed up into Victor’s eyes, pupils dilated and undoubtedly inebriated.  The assassin’s entire focus narrowed down to discovering more about the exotic beauty before him who made his head swim with desire.  The mission he was there to complete was forgotten for the moment

“I’m Victor,” The older man’s thumb skimmed gently along Yuuri’s cheek, trailing downward to explore the pale column of his throat.  He felt the pulsating beat of Yuuri’s heart beneath the silky smooth, heated flesh and it’s all he could do to keep from pressing his lips to it.

He wanted to taste the salt of Yuuri’s skin against his tongue.  He wanted to taste _all of him_ , every inch.  The very idea of worshipping the younger man’s body with his mouth sent a spike of unbridled _want_ shooting through his body.  

_What is happening to me?_

“Victor…”  A thoughtful smile spread across Yuuri’s face as he repeated it.  Victor didn’t think he’d ever heard a more beautiful sound than his name spilling from this angel’s lips.  

The assassin’s mind raced, trying to define exactly what he was feeling.  This was so much more than mere attraction.  It was as if he’d found his other half, an empty space he hadn’t even known he’d had inside him made whole by Yuuri’s presence.  Victor’s gaze widened slightly as he realized exactly what this was.

 _Is he my soulmate?_   _Have I truly found you?_

“Dance with me, Victor!”  Yuuri giggled as he pulled him onto the dance floor.

Yuuri was everything he could’ve asked for and more as he pressed tightly against Victor.  His arms came to rest on the older male’s shoulders, fingers running through the hair at the nape of Victor’s neck.  Yuuri was clearly out to drive him fucking insane as he started to sway his hips in a way that should’ve been illegal.

Victor’s hands roamed the younger man’s body.  It felt like he’d discovered a little slice of heaven as his fingers skimmed along the black dress shirt Yuuri wore.  His eyes drank in the delicious sight of a bit of skin exposed where the top two buttons had come undone. Victor’s hands traveled down along Yuuri’s torso to map out the tantalizing curves of the smaller man’s form, boldly continuing his journey south to brush against the swell of Yuuri’s ass.

Yuuri let out a soft moan at the feel of his hands holding him close, a hot puff of breath ghosting along the older man’s collarbone.  Victor wished he had more time to appreciate the wonderful sensation, but he was snapped back to reality as he glanced over Yuuri’s shoulder and saw several men rushing down the hallway where the back room was located.  

Clearly, they’d already discovered the bodies.

 _Crap, time to go.  I need to get Yuuri out of here, too._ Victor leaned back slightly to take in the hazy expression of the man before him.

“Do you want to get some fresh air with me?”  Victor asked with a dazzling smile, a practiced technique that has gotten him what he wanted on innumerable occasions over the years.

“Mmm-hmm…” Yuuri replied, biting his lip as he gazed up at Victor with heat in his warm brown eyes.  “I want to stay with you always.”

 _Christ, he’s hot._  Victor swallowed hard and forced himself to focus on getting them out of there, rather than the fire the younger man had just stoked inside him.   He grabbed Yuuri’s hand and calmly headed toward the exit, taking his time to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to them.

Victor couldn’t help glancing back frequently as they make their way, not wanting to take his eyes off the younger man.  He felt like Orpheus leaving the underworld, fearful that Yuuri would disappear if he wasn’t careful, leaving him empty and alone once more.

_I don’t want to ever be alone again...without Yuuri..._

As the cool night air surrounded them, a small measure of relief filled the assassin, knowing that he was one step closer to protecting the man in his grasp from any danger.

“Let’s walk a little this wa-”

“Oh!  My friend, I have to tell him I’m leaving!” Yuuri suddenly exclaimed as he spun around to go back inside and stumbled drunkenly in the process.  Victor almost didn’t catch him in time as Yuuri’s face narrowly missed impacting with the sidewalk.  As he pulled him upright, Victor quickly decided that he wasn’t letting Yuuri out of his sight for the rest of the night.

Maybe not ever actually...

“Could you text or call him instead?”  Victor suggested with a wink that earned a shy smile from the other man, who nodded eagerly as he dug into his pocket for several seconds before he pulled out his phone.  Yuuri quickly became so absorbed in texting that he didn’t realize that Victor was steering him down the street away from the club.  Victor wanted nothing more than to put as much distance between themselves and that place as possible.

_*ring ring*_

“Hi Phichit!  Did you read my tex-  Huh?  Oh, I went out to get some air.  No, I’m fine...I’m with Victor.”  

 _‘Who the hell is that?’_  The person on the other end of the phone screeched out.  Yuuri briefly glanced at Victor, smiling nervously before turning his head away as he began to whisper in response.  Well, Yuuri attempted to whisper, but given his inebriated state, he wasn’t very good at it.  

“I’m pretty sure he’s my soulmate…Yes, really!  Plus, he has a really sexy accent and I...”

Victor stifled a chuckle as Yuuri babbled on to his friend.  The other man was simply too adorable for words, though obviously a bit drunker than Victor had originally believed him to be.  

“Yes…okay…jeez _Mom!_  I’ll head home soon, m’kay?”  Yuuri finally ended the call and glanced toward Victor once again.

“That was my roommate.  He worries about me waaaaay too much,” Yuuri explained apologetically.

“Let me give you my number,” Victor seized the opportunity that had presented itself and took the phone from Yuuri’s hand.  He quickly added himself as a contact and sent a text message to his own phone to capture the number before subtly switching it to silent mode to avoid any further interruptions.

“This way I can worry about you too much as well,” Yuuri blushed furiously as Victor took his hand once more and they began to walk.  His protective instincts were heightened in the younger man’s presence, alerted to every small movement around them.  The feeling of Yuuri’s thumb moving in a circular pattern on the back of his hand calmed and relaxed him almost instantly.  Victor’s gaze turned toward the other man and he felt like he’d had the wind knocked out of him as he caught sight of the way the moonlight illuminated Yuuri’s face.

_How can anything be so perfect?_

“Yuuri?” Victor didn’t think it was possible, but the view got even better as those cinnamon-hued irises turned his way.  He wanted to fall into them and drown in their warmth.  

_I’ve never felt anything like this before…_

“Yes?” Yuuri replied curiously, stopping to turn and look at him.

“Can I kiss you?”  Victor felt like a teenager again as the words tumbled awkwardly from his lips, feeling far from the smooth, calculated persona he typically inhabited.  It was like all his walls were crumbling down under the weight of the feelings the other man evoked in him.  

Yuuri’s eyes grew wider, nodding minutely as a soft hitch of breath escaped his lips and they parted invitingly.  Victor closed the distance without a second thought, unable to resist the pull that drew them together any longer.

The faintest taste of alcohol lingered on Yuuri’s lips as they moved against his own.  It was addictive, as were the little hums of pleasure that flowed from Yuuri’s mouth like water.  He devoured every sound, unwilling to let a single shred of the younger man escape him.

Yuuri moaned softly and pressed closer, body flush against Victor’s as he wrapped his arms around the other man’s neck, tongue darting out to trace Victor’s lower lip.  The action sent the fire that had been building within him ablaze, a raging wildfire that was impossible to fight or contain.  He wasn’t sure at what point he had pressed Yuuri’s body against the wall of the nearest building, but God, did it feel right to have him pinned there in his arms, shielded by his body…

_I’ll keep you safe always.  I promise I won’t fail you.  I’m stronger than I was when-_

Victor shoved back the memories that threatened to wash over him, the ghosts of his past forced from his thoughts as he focused instead on the man before him.  His future.

“V-Victor…”  Yuuri’s voice trembled with need as his hands clutched tightly at Victor’s back, spreading his legs to encourage Victor ever closer.  It was as if they couldn’t get close enough to one another, like they would blend together into a single person if possible, hearts beating as one.  Victor laid a trail of desperate kisses along the pale column of Yuuri’s throat.

“My Yuuri...stay close to me, don’t ever go away,” He breathed out

“Yes, always Victor,” Yuuri’s hands ran through Victor’s hair, clenching and tugging the silver strands as he rolled his hips against the other man’s muscular thigh.  

The sound of sirens rang out in the night, racing in the direction of the club and bringing Victor out of the haze of the moment.  He placed a final kiss on Yuuri’s cheek as he reluctantly leaned away.  He surrendered to his powerful need to protect the younger man above all else, even though he could barely tolerate even the mere inches of distance between them.

“Mmm...we should probably stop since we’re in public,”  Victor murmured softly, not actually giving a damn about being out in the open like this, but needing a plausible excuse regardless.

Yuuri’s hands came to rest on Victor’s chest as he nodded and tried to catch his breath.  Those eyes, gorgeous and warm and full of emotion stared up at him once again and he prayed that he could keep that look on Yuuri’s face always.  Make him happy.

“Can I escort you home, Yuuri?”

“I think I’d like that,” He replied softly as he shyly ducked his head.

Victor took Yuuri’s hand and pulled out his phone with the other, sending a quick message to Yakov to let him know he’d changed his mind and he could let someone else execute the hit.  He ignored the vibrations pinging at him incessantly from his pocket a minute later, knowing Yakov must be pissed.  

Victor had a difficult time caring as he said a silent farewell to his old life and they strolled along together under the stars.  He refused to waste another second on the past.  It was time for a fresh start, a new life…with the man he knew was undoubtedly perfect for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stammi Vicino (English translation)
> 
> I hear a voice weeping in the distance  
> Have you maybe been abandoned as well?
> 
> Come now, I'll quickly finish this glass of wine  
> I’ll start to get ready  
> Be quiet now
> 
> With a sword I wish I could cut those throats singing about love  
> I wish I could enclose in ice the hands that write those verses of burning passion
> 
> This story that has no meaning  
> Will vanish tonight together with the stars  
> If I could see you, eternity will be born from hope
> 
> Stay close to me, don’t go away  
> I’m afraid of losing you
> 
> Your hands, your legs,  
> My hands, my legs,  
> And our heartbeats  
> Are blending together
> 
> Let’s leave together  
> I’m ready now


	3. Gentleman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter so soon? Why yes indeed!!!

Victor’s back hit the front door of Yuuri’s apartment with a thud, a giddy smile spreading across his face as the younger man’s mouth latched onto his throat with a low groan.  The sound made the growing heat that pressed insistently against the front seam of his pants that much harder.

“Yuuri?  Let’s go inside, hmm?”  The last thing he needed was Yuuri’s wandering hands discovering the holstered gun digging into his lower back or the silencer tucked into his jacket pocket.  It was difficult to want to take back a shred of control from Yuuri when he was so damn good with his tongue…

And lips…

And sweet Jesus, his teeth…

Victor managed to extricate a set of keys from Yuuri’s pocket while the younger man distractedly groped him and let out cute, needy little sounds that were driving him mad with want.  He groaned as he spun Yuuri around to press his back against the door as he unlocked it.  Yuuri gazed up at him with hunger in his eyes.

“Be careful, moya lyubov,” Victor muttered as the lock turned and he guided Yuuri backward into the apartment with a dark smile before kicking it closed behind them.

“When you look at me like that…”

“It makes me want to absolutely wreck you.”

Yuuri let out a guttural moan in response, a delightfully sinful sound that Victor planned to elicit from the younger man repeatedly before the night was over.

“Victor, I-I’ve never wanted anyone like this before now.  I feel as if I’ve been waiting my whole life for you,” Yuuri cupped Victor’s face in his hands as he leaned in to kiss him in a completely new way, slowly, sensually.  A jolt of realization ran through Victor as he comprehended what Yuuri has just told him.

“N-no one?”  Victor croaked out in response, mouth gone dry as Yuuri nodded and glanced away shyly.

What had he done in a past life to deserve this angel?  Surely it wasn’t due to his actions in this one, but he was being blessed all the same.  He wanted Yuuri to understand just how lucky he considered himself to have him in his arms, banishing away the dark loneliness that he’d felt for so long.

“Look at me, Yuuri?”  The raven nervously met his gaze.  Victor smiled reassuringly and took Yuuri’s hands in his own, bringing them to his mouth to brush his lips across the other man’s knuckles in the barest of kisses.  “I’m so happy to know that you feel the same connection with me as I do with you, and that you would want to share something like that with me.”

“You really do feel it too?” Yuuri asked with a look of hopeful wonder as Victor nodded and captured his lips once more.  He barely managed to hold himself back from ravaging the other man.  Now that he knew of Yuuri’s lack of experience, he was determined to be the gentleman that the other man deserved, especially considering Yuuri was clearly still drunk.  

Victor was loath to screw things up from the start and move too quickly.  He was so used to taking what he wanted in life, free from hesitation or qualms of conscience.  But when it came to Yuuri, he knew that any intimacy between them would be much sweeter if the younger man was free from the influence of intoxicants.

When they made love for the first time, Victor wanted Yuuri fully present and with no regrets or lack of memory afterward.  He wanted to make it special, and keep making it special every day for the rest of their lives.

Yuuri took Victor’s hand and turned to lead him further into the dim apartment.  The older man quickly cataloged the layout of the space before him as years of ingrained habits made themselves useful.  He eyed the potential entrances and exits, instinctively planning for defense, or escape.

 _I need to give it a rest._ Victor scolded himself.   _There’s no reason to worry about those things anymore._

“I’m thirsty,” Yuuri mumbled sleepily.  Victor bit his tongue and stifled an amused chuckle as a lewd reply came to mind.

“Whoa,” Yuuri’s eyes slid closed momentarily and he swayed on his feet as they entered the kitchen.  Victor quickly steadied him and led him to a chair at the dining table.  Yuuri was clearly crashing fast and it was that knowledge that spurred Victor to pour Yuuri a glass of water before he passed out.  

Yuuri gulped down the water like a man in a desert, long denied a drop to drink.  Victor could practically feel his pupils dilating at the sight of Yuuri’s wet lips, unable to quell the dirty thoughts that came to mind.

 _Behave yourself, Nikiforov._ He silently berated himself. _You’re better than that, Yuuri’s better than that._

“Victor, I wanna go to bed.  Come with me?” Yuuri took another sip and reached for Victor’s hand, playfully tugging on his fingers and looking too damn cute for words.  

“Please?”  Yuuri yawned softly before finishing the water and handing the glass back to the other man.  Victor smiled and set it over on the counter.  He was confident that Yuuri would appreciate it in the morning when his hangover was hopefully lessened.  Victor quickly returned to his side as he started to stand, scooping Yuuri up in his arms to avoid the chance that the other man would take a tumble.

“Viiictooor!  What are you doing?” Yuuri muttered as he rubbed his eyes and rested his head on the older male’s chest.  Victor couldn’t help but revel in the feeling of having Yuuri in his arms.

“Shh, it’s okay.  I’m just putting you to bed,” Victor responded as he nuzzled his cheek.  “Which room is yours, Yuuri?”  The raven waved his hand briefly toward the door at the end of the small hallway and allowed Victor to continue carrying him inside.

Victor set Yuuri down carefully upon the full-sized bed, eyes already closed and breathing steady.  He couldn’t help smiling as he watched Yuuri curl onto his side with a soft sigh.

He wasted no time in slipping off Yuuri’s shoes and setting them near the closet, leaving his own there as well before he returned to the bedside where Yuuri was already fast asleep.  Victor kneeled on the floor next to the bed and ran his fingers through the raven strands splayed out on the pillow.  He felt like he could watch Yuuri sleep until the sun came up and still want more.

 _So, this is what it’s like to find your other half, your soulmate._  He shrugged off his jacket as he stood and slipped off his tie. He shoved it into one of the inner pockets before removing the holster and gun from where they rested at his lower back.  

Victor went to the other side of the bed and tucked them under the mattress where Yuuri wouldn’t easily find them, at least not before he could move them to a more secure location the next day.  Victor yawned as he tossed his jacket over the back of a nearby chair and proceeded to lay down next to Yuuri on the bed, pulling a blanket over both of them.

“My Yuuri,” He whispered as he placed a kiss on the younger man’s neck.  He wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s waist and held him close.

“Mmmm...” Yuuri let out a pleased little hum of content and burrowed further into Victor’s embrace.

“I’m so happy I found you,” Victor murmured as his eyes closed and he fell asleep without a care in the world except for the man lying next to him.

***

Yuuri drifted on the edge of consciousness, nestling deeper into the warmth of the bed as he tried to ignore the dull ache in his skull.  He knew that the best thing to do would be to extract himself from the cozy blankets to take some pain medicine, but he just couldn’t find it in him to move an inch.  

_Maybe Victor will bring me some-_

_Victor!_  

Yuuri’s eyes shot open, wide awake as memories of the night before returned to him and he realized that there was an arm wrapped around his waist, that the warmth he felt was due to the man at his back.  Yuuri slowly rolled over in the dim morning light, holding his breath as the sexiest man he’d ever laid eyes on came into view.

 _Holy fucking shit._  

Yuuri couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that this man was in his bed.  That he’d found his soulmate at a club of all places.  He tried and failed to stop the silly smile that spread across his face as he closely examined the man sleeping beside him.  The silver strands upon his head, the pale eyelashes fanning out from his closed eyes, the muscular arm holding his body close…

Yuuri’s fingers itched with the need to touch him.  He wanted to run his hands all over this slumbering god of a man before him that through some strange twist of fate was _his_.  The raven’s stomach twisted as he considered the possibility that he was mistaken about the connection he’d felt.  Perhaps he’d just been drunk and stupid...reading too much into his own sudden infatuation.

 _No, he felt the same way.  He even admitted it._  Yuuri reminded himself as his hand moved almost of its own volition to card through Victor’s hair.  Unable to resist any longer.  

_My Victor._

“Mmm,” Victor let out a contented hum and smiled in response to Yuuri’s gentle touch.

_Wow, that smile is lethal._

Victor’s arm tightened around his body pulling him ever closer as the most stunning pair of azure-hued eyes he’d ever seen slowly blinked open.  His smile widened further as he saw Yuuri was awake as well.

“Good morning, Yuuri,” Victor murmured, accent even sexier somehow, inhabited by the slightly rough quality that one often gained after a period of slumber.  The other man grasped Yuuri’s hand where it was frozen in the midst of running through his silver locks and brought it to his lips, kissing along his knuckles.

“How are you feeling?”  Victor’s gaze held genuine concern.  Yuuri’s heart skipped a beat as he swallowed hard, trying to find his voice for several long seconds before replying.

“Uh, a bit of a headache.”  He admitted.

“Do you have any medicine?”

“In the bathroom across the hall,” Yuuri replied, watching with wide eyes as the man hurried from the bed and left the room, returning a minute later with several pills and a cup of water.

“Is this okay?”

“Thank you so much,” Yuuri responded gratefully, sitting up and downing them with the entire glass of water, hoping that rehydrating would help reduce the dull ache in his skull faster.  

“Anything for you, moya lyubov.”  Victor murmured, running his hand along Yuuri’s back.  The younger man barely knew Victor, but something about those words, his touch felt so _right_.  For once in his life, Yuuri resisted the urge to pick apart the emotions and feelings he was having, and simply allowed himself to enjoy the other’s presence.

“What does that mean?”  Yuuri asked curiously, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“My love,” Victor whispered as his lips brushed against Yuuri’s own in a gentle kiss.  Yuuri knew he was smiling like an idiot now as Victor pulled away, but couldn’t bring himself to care as a rosy blush spread across his cheeks.  

“You’re so cute, Yuuri.”

 _What did I ever do to deserve a man like this?_  Yuuri wondered, surrendering to the feeling of the other man’s soft lips against his own once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out this fic art by Crimson Chains of a scene from the first chapter on Tumblr [HERE](https://animefanimefic.tumblr.com/post/164466276186/crimson-chains-a-commission-i-did-for)


	4. Take(n) Care Of

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG...thank you all so much for your response to this fic :) It feeds the writing fire within to hear that you're enjoying it!
> 
> Cheers!  
> AF

“So, tell me about you, Yuuri,” Victor speared a fluffy piece of pancake on his fork and playfully extended it in Yuuri’s direction.  The younger man couldn’t help the thrill that ran through him at the idea of being fed and taken care of by, by…

_My soulmate?  Wow, that’s still so weird to say even in my head.  I never thought I’d feel this way for anyone._  Yuuri shyly opened his mouth in response as he allowed Victor to feed him, alternating bites between them.

“I’m working on my master’s degree in business,” Yuuri replied before consuming another bite.

“That’s wonderful!” Victor smiled broadly, excitement in his gaze.  “What do you want to do with it?”

Yuuri smiled tightly and continued to chew far longer than he needed to before swallowing.  He wasn’t sure how much he felt comfortable sharing.  He usually kept to himself and shared information about himself with a select few.  His roommate Phichit, who he’d known for years was one of the only people he trusted.  However, Yuuri knew that he needed to open up more, especially with his soulmate.  This was just moving so much faster than anything Yuuri had ever expected.  Not that he had any serious relationships to compare it to, but…

“Umm, I…”  Yuuri looked down, fingers twisting anxiously together in his lap before he peered at Victor once again.

“Are you okay?”  Victor asked softly as he set down the fork and reached forward to brush Yuuri’s cheek with the back of his hand.  The young man nodded and sighed resignedly.  Perhaps it was better just to be honest.  If this man was truly _the one_ then he would understand and support him, right?

“Well, to be completely honest, I’m only studying business because my family wants me too,” He explained nervously as he waited for the disapproving expression that he’d seen on his father’s face when he’d tried to convince the older man to let him pursue another path of study.

**_\---_ **

_“I don’t want to take over the family business,” Yuuri muttered sullenly via a Skype chat with his father as he was wrapping up his first year of college.  “Why would anyone listen to me anyways?  You should give Mari a chance to-”_

_“They’ll listen to you because you’re my son and a Katsuki.  That’s all that matters.  You just need to learn to speak with confidence.”_

_“So why does it matter what I’ve studied if that’s true?” Yuuri mumbled to himself, fist clenching in his lap out of view of his father._

_“What was that?” An edge of warning in the older man’s tone.  Yuuri’s gaze snapped up to meet his father’s._

_“N-nothing, just talking to myself,” Yuuri sighed internally. “I understand father.  I’ll focus on studying business as you have requested.”_

**\---**

“What I really love is dancing.  I usually manage to sneak in an elective class for some type of dance every semester,” Yuuri explained, a dreamy expression on his face as he continued.  

“My aunt Minako was entrusted with watching me when I was a child.  She’d take me with her to the studio when she needed to practice and teach me.  She was a famous dancer when she was younger and I couldn’t have asked for a better instructor.”

“It sounds like you care about her very much,” Victor responded as he fed Yuuri another bite.

“Well, my parents were often busy with…um, work.  They were in and out of town for meetings all the time and she was like a mother to me.” Yuuri smiled tightly, trying to hide the whirlwind of emotions that filled him as he continued to explain.

“But when my father found out what she’d been teaching me he disapproved and was very _frustrated_ with her,” Yuuri swallowed another bite of food and avoided meeting Victor’s gaze.

“She was reprimanded and ordered to take me to martial arts class instead,” Yuuri tried not to wince at the memory of the many bruises he’d endured in practice.  His body had been battered and sore as he pushed himself past his limits to make sure that his father was happy with his progress and wouldn’t punish Minako again.  He hadn’t been able to dance for a long time after that, until Minako had quietly reassured him that she still supported him no matter what.  It was their most closely guarded secret.  Even after all this time, Yuuri never had shaken free of the guilt he’d felt when he found out they’d broken Minako’s l-

“You’ll protect me then, hmm?” Victor teased, a playful smile on his face.

“Of course,” Yuuri laughed, burying the past in the back of his mind and trying to focus on his future sitting before him.  “I’ll be your little ninja, they’ll never see me coming.”

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” Victor let out a thoughtful hum, a teasing glint in his eyes. “I feel so much safer now.”

“Ha, I bet,” Yuuri smirked in response. “But what about you?  Where do you live?  What do you do for a living?” Victor beamed at him, a bright smile that took Yuuri’s breath away.   _Holy crap, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how gorgeous he is._

“I’m a security consultant.  I work for corporations wishing to protect their assets,” Victor explained as he popped another bite in Yuuri’s mouth. “Actually, I wrapped up the job I’d been working on here yesterday.  I was out having a drink to celebrate when we, uh, _bumped_ into one another.”

“Very funny,” Yuuri laughed softly. “If you were celebrating I suppose everything went well then?”

“Well, given the nature of my work with them I can’t tell you too much, but based on their reaction…” Victor speared another morsel of food from the plate. “I can confidently say that they were blown away.”

“That’s great!” Yuuri replied as Victor popped the food in his mouth.  “So, you don’t live here then?” The younger man asked tentatively.

“I have an apartment in St. Petersburg…”

_Russia?_   Yuuri’s stomach churned at the thought of such distance from the other man and lowered his gaze to hide the sadness in his eyes from Victor. _How will we make this work?_

“However, I’ve heard Detroit is beautiful this time of year,” Victor murmured quietly as he placed a finger under Yuuri’s chin and tilted his face up.  “So, I was hoping to extend my stay here.  Would that be alright with you?”

“Yes,” Yuuri nodded happily as Victor pulled him forward into his lap and held him close.  “Definitely yes…”

“Now that I’ve found you, I don’t ever want to leave your side, Yuuri.”  Victor closed the small distance remaining to capture Yuuri’s mouth in a gentle kiss.  The younger man could taste the syrup that lingered on Victor’s lips.  It made him hungry for more as he wrapped his arms around Victor’s neck and deepened the kiss.

A low whistle from the doorway to the kitchen brought them back to reality just seconds later.  His face turned bright red as he roommate grinned back at him.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding Yuuri, total hottie.  Congrats!”  The raven mentally facepalmed as Phichit turned and exited the room quickly with a backward wave, laughing as he went.  “Carry on young lovers.”

“That’s my roommate, Phichit.  Sorry.”

“It’s alright.  He seems nice,” Victor assured him, running his hands along Yuuri’s side. “I should probably head back to the hotel to shower anyway and let them know I’d like to stay longer.”

“Okay,” Yuuri whispered, not wanting to part from the other man for a second as he reluctantly started to remove himself from Victor’s lap.

“Can I come back here afterward?  Maybe take you to dinner later as well and get to know you better?”  Victor asked as he reached for Yuuri’s hands and gazed up at him.

“Just because we’re soulmates doesn’t mean I can’t woo you.” He explained with a playful smile as he pulled Yuuri back down into his lap.

“I want to know everything about you Yuuri,”  Victor murmured with a kiss on his cheek.  The young man swallowed hard as he considered telling Victor all about-

“Sure.  Everything,” Yuuri smiled weakly and held Victor tight as he rested his head on the other man’s shoulder.

_What am I going to do?_

**xxx**

Victor eyed his phone and sighed as he slipped into a pair of dark gray slacks.  He knew he’d have to check his messages eventually and face Yakov’s frustration with him.  Although it was often amusing, the assassin didn’t necessarily like to give the old man trouble.  Yakov had been the one to take him in so long ago when his parents were killed, teaching him everything he knew.  Once he’d surpassed him, Yakov had sought out others amongst his considerable network of contacts to teach Victor anything he could not.

He reluctantly turned his phone back on and slid on a lightweight long-sleeve black sweater with a slight v-neck while he waited for the flood of angry messages to pour in.  Victor glanced at his gun where it lay on the bed next to the holster and picked them both up

_I don’t need this anymore.  I’m just Victor, not V._ He smiled slightly as he walked over to the case sitting in the closet.  He unlocked it and flipped open the lid, quickly nestling them in next to the extra clips of ammo contained there.

_I’ll have to dispose of most of this._  Victor pulled out his passport, the real one amongst several fakes in the case.  He’d had it made knowing that this was his last job and after it, he would be free to start using his true first and last name after all these years.

Victor Nikiforov.

He sighed happily as grabbed some cash as well before closing the case and locking it.  He shut the closet door and headed back to the bed, picking up his phone and groaning as he noticed the abundance of missed calls.  However, there was only a single text message from Yakov, sent five minutes after the last call.

**_Old Man:_ ** _Carabosse will take care of it._

_Not his usual cup of tea, but for that amount of money I’m not surprised he accepted._  Victor rolled his eyes as he headed for the door, eager to return to Yuuri.

They’d never met of course, but Carabosse had worked with Yakov for almost as long as Victor had and he was well aware of the jobs he’d done.  Yakov had explained that the other man’s alias was a result of his first big hit.  

The assignment had been to take out a politician and his mistress while they were at a performance of The Sleeping Beauty at the Bolshoi Theatre.   The lovers had made it all too easy for the assassin to execute the hit, curtains drawn as they ignored the ballet in favor of a more intimate show for two.  She’d still had his cock in her mouth when the cleaning crew found their bodies after the nearly three-hour performance.

The coroner estimated the time of death to have occurred during the prologue.  The final police report proposed that the assassin had used the suddenly darkened theatre and loud thundering sound announcing the arrival of the evil fairy, Carabosse in the performance as the opportunity to strike.  It had also provided ample time for the killer to escape.

He’d been dubbed the ‘Carabosse Killer’ in the papers and it had just…stuck.

Victor had to admit when Yakov had shared the details with him that the entire operation was well thought out and planned by the other assassin.

Ever since then, Carabosse had tended to take jobs where he had the opportunity to expose and punish infidelity.  It had become his hallmark.  Yakov certainly found no shortage of hits to send the man’s way.

Victor deleted the message from Yakov and grabbed his room key from the table next to the door as he headed out.  He pushed any thoughts of other assassins or jobs out of his mind.  He felt an undeniable need to see his soulmate.  He couldn’t wait to make plans for their future together and found himself daydreaming in the ride downward in the elevator.  He sent a quick message to the younger man.

**Victor:** On my way back (づ♥ᗜ♥)づ Can’t wait to see you!

His phone pinged a couple minutes later as he slid into a taxi in front of the hotel, quickly giving the driver the address for Yuuri’s apartment so he could read the message.

**Yuuri:** Me too ♥ See you soon

Victor leaned back into the seat with a grin on his face as they headed toward Yuuri’s apartment.

_This is the beginning of a whole new life…_

_For both of us._

It only took about ten minutes to make the drive and by the time he arrived, he was practically bouncing in his seat in excitement.  Every second that passed brought him closer to Yuuri.

Upon arriving and paying the driver, Victor rushed along the sidewalk as he watched another tenant enter the building.  He sighed in annoyance when the door closed behind the man before he could catch up.  The silver-haired male quickly examined the call panel before pushing the button for Yuuri’s apartment number.

_*bzz bzzzzzzz*_

“Hello?” Yuuri’s voice rang out over the intercom.

“It’s Victor.”

“Ah, of course, just a second.”

A low bell tone emanated from the door moments later, granting him access to the building.  He huffed in frustration as the elevator doors closed across the lobby, a glimpse of the man from before, black hoodie and dark jeans visible as they slid shut.  Victor noticed the sign for a stair well and decided he couldn’t wait for the elevator, he wanted to see his Yuuri now.

**xxx**

“Coming!” Yuuri hurried to the door as he heard knocking.  He opened the door and smiled politely through his brief disappointment, realizing that the man before him in a dark hoodie and jeans was not Victor.  “Can I help you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out this fic art by Crimson Chains of a scene from the first chapter on Tumblr [HERE](https://animefanimefic.tumblr.com/post/164466276186/crimson-chains-a-commission-i-did-for)


	5. The Best Policy

As Victor exited the stairwell, the first thing he heard was yelling.  His eyes widened as he hurried toward the open door to Yuuri’s apartment 20 feet away, the sound of glass breaking and objects crashing into one another joining the voices.

It felt like forever to cross the small distance as fear raced through him.

What had happened in the brief time it took him to get from the building entrance?

Victor rushed inside to see Yuuri fighting off the man he’d seen enter shortly before him.  The hoodie had fallen away in the commotion to reveal a man with short brown hair.  Victor automatically reached for his gun and remembered he’d left it at the hotel.

“Yuuri!” The young man’s attacker glanced at him briefly and scowled, allowing Yuuri the opportunity to land several quick, precise hits that had the man screeching in pain and backing away, holding his arm.

“Victor!  His gun!” Yuuri called out, gesturing across the room where the weapon rested on the floor.

“Дерьмо!” The brunet cursed as he turned and sprinted toward the exit.  Victor raced to pick it up, eager to get a shot off at the man who had tried to hurt his Yuuri.

Victor heard the attacker cry out in pain before he was able to do so, catching a glimpse of the blade that was now sticking out of the man’s back as he ran into the hallway.  Victor looked over at Yuuri with wide eyes, taking in the sight of a second sharp knife in his hand.  On the wall next to him, a concealed compartment shelf lay open, exposing several additional deadly looking blades.

Yuuri breathed heavily and looked over at Victor with concern in his eyes.

“Victor!” Yuuri tossed the blade into the drawer and ran to him, wrapping his arms around the surprised man.

_What the hell just happened?_

“Are you okay?  Victor!  Talk to me…are you in shock?” Yuuri’s voice was growing panicked, full of fear.

“I’m all right, just…processing what happened,” Victor replied, embracing Yuuri in an attempt to reassure him.

“What the fuck, Yuuri…” Phichit mumbled, wearing a robe, and still damp from the shower as he strode into the room.  He stopped in his tracks, eyes widening as he took in the sight of a broken lamp and the exposed weapons drawer.

“Call my father and let him know my location has been compromised.” Yuuri replied in a shaking voice. “There was only one attacker, about 6 feet tall, brunet, Russian by the sound of it, mid to late 20’s.  See if you can dig up anything that fits that description.”

Phichit nodded and headed back toward his room, a brief worried glance at both of them as he went.

Victor’s mind was racing with all this new information.  Who exactly was his soulmate?  This man who trembled in his arms, but could throw a knife with terrifying accuracy.  Who could disarm a man carrying a gun and injure him with an attack on his pressure points?

 _I need to tread carefully_.  It was clear that Yuuri was something more than your typical college student, but he didn’t want to push too fast and scare him with a barrage of questions. _If he finds out that I am, no, **was** an assassin, he might shut me out._

“Well, uh, you really are a ninja, aren’t you?” Victor forced himself to maintain a light and relaxed tone in the hopes that it would encourage Yuuri to open up to him.  The younger man chuckled, sniffling slightly as he leaned back to meet his eyes.

“You got me.  Totally a ninja,” Yuuri replied, running a hand through his hair as he took a step back and reached out to take the gun from Victor.  The older man reluctantly handed it over, not liking that he was unarmed in a risky situation such as this.  He wanted to be able to protect Yuuri and had no tools except his own body to defend him.

It would have to be enough for the moment.

Yuuri strode over to the concealed shelf and put the gun inside before sliding it closed again.  Victor closed and locked the front door before beckoning to Yuuri to join him on the couch.

 _They aren’t calling the police and Yuuri mentioned to Phichit that his location had been compromised._ He examined his soulmate closely as he sat down beside him, trying to unravel the mysterious man before him.

“Yuuri, can you tell me what just happened?  Why did that man try to hurt you?”  Yuuri looked at him nervously and shifted in his seat.  “It’s okay, you can tell me anything.”  Yuuri nodded jerkily in response, letting out a shuddering breath.

“Um, okay…where to start…” Yuuri mumbled to himself before meeting his eyes once more. “Well, have you ever heard the term yakuza?” Victor was unable to control his expression, azure-hued eyes going wide.

“I’m taking that as a yes?”

Victor nodded and squeezed Yuuri’s hand reassuringly.

“It’s okay, Yuuri.  Go ahead.”

“Well, my family sent me here to keep me safe several years ago after numerous attempts on my life,”  Yuuri explained.  “I was told to focus on my education and even took on a fake name to hide my identity.”

It was all making more sense to Victor now.  The yakuza were relentless in their pursuit of their targets and would hunt down someone for years if necessary.

“Yuuri…why are the yakuza after you?  Did your family do something to make them want to hurt you?”  The young man stared at him for several long seconds before shaking his head and sighing.

“No, you misunderstand, Victor.  My family _is_  yakuza…and I was targeted because I’m the heir to the, uh, family business you might say.”

 _Holy crap…_  Victor thought as he pulled his phone from his pocket, heart pounding in his chest as little pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

The guy spoke Russian.

_Fuck fuckity fuck…_

He knew very little about Carabosse, aside from the fact that he was undeniably Russian by birth.  As he pulled open his email, he found that Yakov had never had a chance to send him the information on the time sensitive hit before he’d messaged him to decline the job.  His fingers shook as he dialed his number.

“Victor? I’m sorry, I’ll understand if you need some space,”  Yuuri’s voice wavered, drawing the older male’s attention back to him as he started to stand.

“No,” Victor replied firmly as he held the phone to his ear, grabbing Yuuri’s hand and pulling him down next to him once more. “I am not leaving your side for a second.”

“Da?” The gruff voice was strained and weary.  “What do you need Vitya, I thought you were ‘done’.  I’m going back to sl-”

“Who was the hit on?” Victor hissed out in Russian.  Yuuri tensed beside him at the vicious tone of his voice.

“Why do you care?” Yakov spit back.  “You didn’t want it.”

“Because I’m pretty sure the hit was placed on my soulmate!”  Victor snapped.  Yakov was silent on the other end for several long seconds.

“What happened Vitya?”

“Just give me the fucking name, or so help me…”

“Alright, alright.  Hold on a second…” Yakov muttered.  “The name’s Kagetori-”

Victor’s gaze shot to Yuuri.

“What’s your last name?” He asked worriedly.

“Um, my last name is…Katsuki,” Yuuri replied hesitantly.  Victor breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as Yakov continued to give him the background information on the target.

“…and he’s a college student, lives in an apartment with one roommate, has dark hair and wears glasses…”

 _Shit, shit, shit…_ Victor pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a huff of frustration.

“What last name have you been going by while you’re here?”  He quietly asked Yuuri.

“Kagetori.”

 _Dammit._  Victor swallowed hard, a sharp stab of terror in his gut as he began to speak with Yakov in Russian once more.

“Yakov, I need you to find out who put out this hit and call off Carabosse.  Don’t send anyone else, please.”

“Vitya, I can’t just-”

“No!  It’s my soulmate and I will kill anyone who comes near him.  So, if you want any of your other men to die, go ahead and send them.  I’ll dispatch everyone straight to hell.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Vitya…” Yakov sighed heavily. “But this job was sent to multiple contacts like myself by a central information broker named Celestino.  I was not directly contacted by the person or group of people seeking that young man’s demise.”

“How do I get in contact with him?” Victor asked quietly.

“Celestino?  You don’t.  I will.  I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Thank you, Yakov.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing Vitya,” Yakov warned.  Victor smiled at the concern in the man’s voice.

“No idea actually, but things usually work out alright for me, da?”

“Da…stay safe.”

A soft click and beep indicated the other man had hung up.

Victor set the phone down and pulled Yuuri in for a hug, holding him close.

_No one will take you from me.  I’ll destroy anyone who tries…_

“Victor?” The younger man softly murmured his name, running a hand soothingly along his back.  “What was the call about?  Please tell me?  It seems like you know more than you’re letting on about what happened earlier.”  Victor took a deep breath and reminded himself that honesty was the best policy.

It was…right?

That’s what his mother had always said.

_Mother…_

Victor was suddenly back _there_ …in that dark place, hiding…with his hands over his mouth to stifle his sobs as her body hit the floor with a loud thud and those men ripped his family and life away from him.

 _I have to protect Yuuri._  Victor’s arms tightened further around the raven-haired male _.  I’m strong now and I won’t let anyone take him away from me._

 

**xxx**

 

Yuuri glanced over Victor’s shoulder as the older man held him close, body practically vibrating with tension.  He gave a small shake of his head as he saw Phichit return.  His friend nodded in understanding and went back to his room.

He needed to get to the bottom of the conversation Victor had just had on the phone.  There was no time for playing things close to the vest, not when they were in danger.  Yuuri could hardly stand the idea that Victor could’ve gotten hurt and it would’ve all been his fault.

“Victor?  Who did you just call and why were you asking me those questions?”  Yuuri murmured as he ran his hands up and down the other man’s back in an attempt to calm him.  Victor leaned back to look him in the eyes and let out a soft huff of frustration as he took Yuuri’s hands in his own.

“It was someone I’ve known for a very long time.”  Victor paused, inner conflict bleeding out to the exterior and etching itself upon his features.  “An information broker…”

“W-what kind of information Victor?  What does this man do _exactly_?”  Yuuri knew of such men from his father’s...business.  They worked with several of these middle men back in Japan and their primary function had always been-

“Victor,” Yuuri took in the guilt and self-loathing in the other man’s eyes.  His chest tightened at the sight and he swallowed hard around the lump in his throat.  “Just shoot straight with me.”

“I always shoot straight,” Victor muttered quietly as his gaze dropped to their entwined fingers.  “If he’d sent me, you’d be dead by now.”

_This can’t be happening…_

Hot tears splashed on their joined hands and the sound of a safety being removed from a gun rang out in the silence.  Yuuri gasped as he saw Phichit holding his attacker’s gun and aiming it at Victor’s head, cold, unwavering determination in his gaze.

“No, Phichit!”

“You should let him.  You deserve better than me, Yuuri,” Victor’s azure eyes were glossed over with tears once again.  “You deserve better than a killer.”

“Yeah, you do,” Phichit spat out as he took several steps closer.

“No,” Yuuri whispered in reply as he reached out to cup the other man’s face in his hands.  He leaned in until their foreheads were resting against one another.  

“You don’t get to decide that for me.”  Yuuri breathed out as he closed the distance, seeking out Victor’s mouth.  The other man yielded as their lips met.  Yuuri tasted the salt of Victor’s tears on his tongue and welcomed them, kissing his soulmate until there was no trace of them.  

“Do you plan to kill me, Victor?”  He asked quietly as their lips parted.

The older male startled at his words, mouth falling open in surprise as he shook his head violently.

“No, no! I promise I would never-”

“Will you protect me?”  Yuuri asked, knowing exactly what Phichit ultimately needed to be assured of.  

“Yes!  Yes, of course!  I could never hurt you.”

The sound of the safety being put back on was a sweet relief to the young man.  He  
let out a sigh of relief that he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Yuuri,” Phichit mumbled in Japanese as he tossed the gun in the drawer.

“No idea, actually, but things usually work out alright…”

 

**xxx**

 

“So, you were at the club last night...hmm, Victor?” Phichit asked the silver-haired male, switching back to English as he eyed Victor with a calculating gaze before meeting Yuuri’s once again.  

“There was a whole lot of drama going on and they shut the club down not long after you left.  Turns out that the news is reporting the police found four bodies in the-”

“Only four?”  Victor exclaimed, composure lost.  He clearly remembered killing all five-

_Oh…_

Victor’s eyes narrowed as they took in Phichit’s smug expression.

“How many were there supposed to be Victor?” He asked in a lilting sing-song voice.

_Why you sneaky little…_

Victor smiled tightly and ran a hand through his hair, conceding he’d been outmaneuvered for the moment.   _Gotta give it to the kid, must have quite a pair on him to taunt a man he knows is a killer._

“Five.  There were five.”

“Victor, who exactly are you? Really?”  Yuuri’s voice trailed off, eyes wide.  Victor sighed.  There was no avoiding this any longer.

“I’m a man who turned down an additional final job last night that came through from my boss because I was so enamored with my soulmate that I couldn’t imagine parting from him to do it.  However, it turns out that the job _was_ my soulmate...therein lies the problem.”  Victor smiled bitterly.  

“That man who just attacked you was probably Carabosse, though I can’t say for sure, considering I’ve never met the man.”

“Jesus...I’ve heard of him.  Carabosse is like…”  Phichit seemed to be at a loss for words as his eyes met Yuuri’s.  “You’re really lucky to be alive my friend.”  He looked to Victor again and leaned back against the wall next to the shelf, still not distancing himself from the weapons quite yet.

“How bad is it?  You said you were offered the job first?  What are the details of the hit on Yuuri?”

“The bounty was three times my normal base fee for a simple one person hit on the condition that the job be executed within the next 24 hours,” Victor responded quietly as he took hold of Yuuri’s shaking hands.  “Someone really wants you dead.”

_*ring ring*_

Victor pulled out his phone and answered the call from Yakov, putting it on speaker so that Yuuri and Phichit could follow along this time.  He had to earn their trust...and transparency in his actions and words would help accomplish that.

“What have you found out?”  He spoke in English this time and was glad when the other man followed suit.

“It’s not good.  This went out to every information broker in the game with even a small amount of skill.  Once it’s discovered that Carabosse has withdrawn from the job it’ll go back out to everyone again.  I can hold off on providing proof that the job hasn’t been executed for the next 8, maybe 10 hours before they’ll be sending others after him.”  

“Did you get a hold of Celestino?” Victor asked hopefully.

“No, not yet, but I’ll keep trying.  At this point, I’d suggest finding somewhere to lay low with your soulmate for a few days and then take a roundabout route to get him back to Japan.  This will give his family the time necessary to pull together additional resources to protect him.  Going back home now would be too obvious and risky.  Anyone who takes the job will be watching for him to do just that over the next 24 hours.  If you did that, it’s likely you’d find someone, or several someone’s, waiting to attack upon arrival.”

“Yuuri’s father said essentially the same thing,” Phichit added. “Plus, he wants to try and discover who may have leaked the information within his own organization regarding Yuuri’s whereabouts before bringing him home.”

“I’ll see if the Swiss has room at the inn,” Victor responded quickly.  There were few people besides Yakov that he knew could be trusted to help him and Chris was at the top of the list.  He had a broad network of informants that continually kept him informed of the goings on in the seedy underworld of crime and within the many police agencies around the world.

“Da, that’s good.  I’d suggest getting out of there as soon as possible.  I can schedule a private plane and help mask your identities.  Just let me know where you want to go and I’ll make it happen.”

“Thank you, old man.”

“You’re like a son to me Vitya and I long ago promised your parents that I would help protect you.  This is the least I can do.”

Victor’s throat grew tight with emotion as the other man hung up.  He couldn’t fall apart now, not when Yuuri needed him.

“I’ll start packing,” Phichit murmured as he left the room, leaving the two of them alone.  Victor wanted to wrap his arms around Yuuri, assure himself through the warmth of his body that he was here and alive.  He wasn’t sure how to move forward though...or if Yuuri would even welcome his embrace.

“Victor,” The other man dashed away Victor’s fears as he climbed into his lap and rested his head on his shoulder.  “I wish we could go back to this morning and pretend this never happened.”

“Me too.  I’m so sorry, Yuuri.”

“Shh, we were both keeping secrets...so I’m going to say that we’re even now, okay?”  

“Okay…” Victor breathed out as he ran his hands up and down the younger man’s back.

“But, I do have to say...if this is your idea of wooing, you kinda suck at it,” Yuuri teased in a quiet voice.

“I’ll make it up to you, moya lyubov,” Victor responded with a soft chuckle.  “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Дерьмо = Shit  
> Poor Georgi...lol
> 
> Check out the concealed shelf I referenced [HERE](https://tacticalwalls.com/shop/842-rls-rifle-shelf/)


	6. Friends In Low/High Places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for waiting patiently for this chapter. I was very ill this last weekend and it set me back a bit with writing. I hope you all enjoy it :)
> 
> Cheers!  
> AF

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor find that it's good to have friends you can count on.

“Tell your friend to book just you two for the private flight,” Phichit muttered to Victor as he tossed several full carry-on bags on the floor by the door. 

“Phichit...I can’t leave you here!” Yuuri exclaimed, jumping up from the couch and hurrying across the room to him.  “What if they come back? What if they send-”

“I’m not going to stay here, Yuuri,” Phichit assured him with a mischievous smile.  “I’m going to Thailand to throw off anyone who might be checking the flight manifests.”

“You’ll go under your own name?” Victor grinned at the clever idea as he pulled out his phone. “Whoever is seeking Yuuri will assume that he’s with you under a false identity and be drawn there instead of following us.”  The older man held the phone to his ear and moved to the kitchen to presumably call his contact.

“It will buy you at least a day or two, maybe more before they start looking at private flight records,” Phichit explained as he continued to reassure Yuuri.  “Your family would never let you return unguarded and they would naturally believe you to be with me.  This is the best option, trust me...this is my job, after all.  To watch out for you and help keep you safe.”  

“You’re my friend and you know it, so stop playing the loyalty and responsibility card,” Yuuri scowled at Phichit.  “I need to know that you’ll be safe when you get there.  I mean, if it’s not safe there for me, then how are you going to be okay on your own?”  Yuuri asked worriedly.

“First off, I have connections and family there who can handle getting  _ one person _ out of the airport and to safety until this all blows over.  Secondly, I’ve heard of this Swiss person that Victor mentioned.  He’s very good and should be able to keep both of you hidden.”

“Oh, and thirdly, have a little faith my friend!  I’ll be fine. I’ve got this!” Phichit beamed at Yuuri and stepped forward to hug him tightly.  “You just focus on staying alive, okay?”  Phichit murmured.  

“You too,” Yuuri whispered in response.

**xxx**

“I’ll have new passports waiting for you at the front desk of your hotel in an hour, as well as the flight plan information and directions for when you arrive to get to the hotel.  You can stay there until you connect with the Swiss.  You’re still headed to Nice, correct?” Yakov asked as Victor entered the kitchen.

“Yes.  It was a stroke of luck that he happened to be in a position to accommodate us on such short notice,” The silver-haired male cautiously glanced out the windows of the room as they continued to talk, eyeing the nearby rooftops for any sign of uninvited company.  He wasn’t going to let his guard down for a second. 

“We’re going to check in at the hotel and wait for him to make contact the next day.  Then he’ll take us wherever he plans to tuck us away.” Victor explained.  “Oh, any word from Celestino yet?”

“Well, when I considered the situation you’re currently in, I decided that it would be best if I waited until the time limit expired to push harder for contact with him.  That way, regardless of what happens with the contract, you’ll be well on your way elsewhere.”

“Agreed,” Victor nodded as he sat down at the dining table with a sigh. “Any other advice old man.”

“So rude Vitya,” Yakov huffed in amusement.  Victor could practically hear the man rolling his eyes. “Actually, yes. Be careful.”

“I know that Yakov,” Victor snickered. 

“I’m not joking around, Vitya,” The older male warned, tone grave as he continued. “I know for a fact that the Crispinos had their hat in the ring for this job, not to mention the Kazak and our recently defected Ice Tiger.”

“Tch, good riddance.  I think he’s probably finding Lilia’s organization is not everything he expected it to be,” Victor chuckled.  

“Lilia is...talented in regards to bringing out the best performance in her people.  I don’t doubt that she was displeased to find I’d snapped up this job from under everyone’s noses.”  

“I’m sure the kitten was even angrier than her to find out the assignment went to his former information broker.”

“Da.  I’ll call you again if I find out anything else.  Good luck, Vitya.”

“Spasibo,”  Victor ended the call and glanced at the door of the kitchen to see Yuuri watching him.  The younger man thrummed with nervous energy as he shifted from foot to foot, seemingly unsure of himself.  Victor went to him and wrapped his arms around Yuuri, somehow knowing that this was exactly what he needed, what they both needed.   Yuuri released a shuddering breath and rested his head on Victor’s shoulder, melting into the man’s embrace.

“Thank you,” Yuuri murmured. “Just being near you centers me...grounds me.  I want to always feel like this, have you beside me.”

“Good, because that’s where I intend to stay,” Victor assured him as he rested his cheek against Yuuri’s raven locks and breathed him in.  “Always.”

Yuuri raised his head to meet Victor’s gaze and leaned in for a kiss.  The feeling of their lips meeting was electric, a jolt of pleasure rushing through Victor’s body as their mouths molded perfectly with one another.  He reveled in the warmth of Yuuri’s tongue brushing against his own in tentative exploration, becoming bolder as he elicited a moan from the older man.

“God, Yuuri...what you do to me,” Victor gasped out as their lips parted, eyes half-lidded with desire as he gazed into the other man’s cinnamon-hued irises.  Yuuri smiled shyly up at him.

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Victor chuckled at how cute his sweet, little Yuuri was.  The silver-haired male knew things would only get better with every day, as was the case with soulmates.  The bond between them would deepen with time and proximity to one another.  The impact upon each couple varied, but the most common side-effects were a heightened ability to sense their partner’s presence and a greater sensitivity to their wants and needs.  

There were many theories on soulmates, some magical and some scientific.  The term both sides could agree upon in modern times for such a bond was referred to as the etheric cord.  It was born from the idea that even across great distances, their souls were tethered together and they could still feel the other no matter where they were.  

Soulmates who were interviewed on the subject of their connection often described it as a pull...a tugging feeling at their core to be closer to the other.  Couples together for decades often said that it felt as if their souls eventually merged into one...like their hearts beat in tandem with their significant other.  Victor couldn’t wait to grow even closer to Yuuri, but first, he had to focus on keeping him safe. 

“Are you packed?” Victor asked as he brushed a strand of hair from Yuuri’s face, tucking it behind his ear.  The younger man nodded.

“Let’s go.”

**xxx**

Victor slipped back into the town car next to Yuuri where it idled in front of his hotel.  As their driver loaded his suitcase in the trunk, he turned to the younger man with an amused smile on his face, pulling two passports from his jacket pocket and handing them to Yuuri.

“May I introduce you to Mr. and Mr. Vasilev?” Victor chuckled as Yuuri opened the passports. “This will work perfectly.  No one will be looking for a married couple with a Russian last name.”

“Rin Vasilev?” Yuuri smirked as he eyed the other man. “So, Alexei...how long have we been married?” The young man teased.

“Three years, moya lyubov and still behaving like newlyweds…can’t keep our hands off each other,” Victor whispered in Yuuri’s ear before placing a kiss on his throat.  The raven-haired male felt his face grow hot at just the barest of touches from the other man.

“Mmm...you think so?” Yuuri laughed playfully in response, sliding the passport into his pocket and handing Victor’s back to him.  

“Of course!” Victor replied with a glint in his eyes. “You’re absolutely insatiable.”

Yuuri burst out laughing as he relaxed into the leather seats, a warmth building in his chest at the sight of the man beside him.  He held his hand and took a deep breath as he soaked in Victor’s smile, his sparkling azure eyes, the feeling of their fingers entwined.

He wasn’t sure how long they sat there in silence, just enjoying one another’s presence, but before he knew it, they had arrived at the airport.  The young man’s stomach was in knots as they went through the admittedly minimal security check to board the plane.  Their passports and bags posed no issue, much to Yuuri’s great relief and they were soon climbing the stairs to the plane as the sun began to dip beneath the horizon.  Victor was a reassuring presence at his side, quelling any lingering anxiety as they settled into the large, cushy seats.

“Oh, by the way, the plane has a small bedroom in the back just past the bathroom and kitchen,” Victor gestured to a doorway leading away from the main cabin. “It’s about a 12-hour flight and we’ll arrive around noon in Nice.  If you think you’ll be able to sleep, you should try.”

“I will, but…” Yuuri blushed, words escaping him as he tried to decide how to convey exactly what he needed from Victor.  He didn’t want him out of his sight, needed to touch him...

“Maybe you could, um, join me?”  Yuuri asked hopefully.  The older man raised an eyebrow at his words, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  

“Just to sleep!” Yuuri quickly blurted out.  “I’m not trying to suggest anything else.”

“I’m sure I’d love anything you might suggest,  _ Rin _ ,” Victor replied with a wink as their plane took off and they rose higher into the sky. “After all, how could I ever deny my darling, insatiable husband?”

“Actually, could you tell me a bit more about this ‘Swiss’ person?” Yuuri asked with a small yawn as he settled deeper into the plush leather seat, turning it a bit more to face him as the plane gained altitude.  “Who exactly is he?”

“His name is Chris and he’s the kind of man you want on your side if you need to disappear.  His network of informants is incomparable.  He can see trouble coming a mile away, but is also exceedingly skilled at evading it and assisting others with enough currency to afford his services to do so as well.”  Victor smiled fondly, eyes distant as memories clouded his gaze.  

“Over the years he’s become someone I consider a friend.  A person that I can count on to watch out for me.  He hasn’t let me down once.”  The older male chuckled and tapped a finger thoughtfully against his lips.  “The first time I ever had to utilize his talent for discretion and secrecy was about five years ago.  I was in New York and the job I was there for…”  Victor hesitated, expression unsure as he looked to Yuuri who gave him a reassuring nod.

“Well, it appeared that another person in my, uh, line of work had tipped off the authorities.  It was a very aggressive attempt to take out what he considered the competition.  I discovered later that he’d been passed over by the client in favor of me.”  Yuuri swallowed hard as a malicious grin spread across Victor’s face.  “He got his in the end, I can assure you.”   

_ Wow, why is that so...hot?  _  Yuuri wondered as Victor continued to tell him the story.

“My information broker gave me Chris’ information and within three hours I was on a flight to Barcelona.  I think I spent about a month at a quaint little villa there, receiving updates on the fallout from the job as well as the news of who had screwed me over.  I was very lucky that the intelligence agencies were unable to gather any footage of me.  Well, not exactly  _ lucky _ I suppose.  It was with great effort that Chris managed to obtain the one recording they had subpoenaed from an exterior bank camera through his informants.  He destroyed it for me, along with the original copy.”

“Holy crap,” Yuuri breathed out as he angled his chair to face Victor completely.  He leaned forward with his elbows on the table, chin resting in his hands as his mind raced with this new information.  “Have you ever met him in person?”

“Once, when he was visiting St. Petersburg about a year ago.  He just decided to stop by my apartment out of the blue with a bottle of vodka and demanded that I take him sightseeing.”  Victor laughed, head falling back against his seat.  “Chris thought it was hilarious that he knew where I lived and who I was.”  The older male sighed and shook his head in amusement.  

“I didn’t think it was very funny at first, but after he proved to me that it really was him I spent the next couple days showing him around town and drinking  _ a lot  _ of vodka.”

“Who are you, really?”  He felt the words awkwardly tumble from his mouth and cringed, immediately regretting them as he lowered his gaze.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t pry-”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Victor reached out to take his hands across the small table between their seats, his voice lowering as he glanced over his shoulder toward the back of the plane where the flight attendant was starting to move around in the kitchen. 

“My real name is Victor.  That is true, and my profession is as you may have already guessed.  I used to be an assassin for hire, for about the last decade actually.” He explained.  

“Umm, would I recognize your work?”  Yuuri asked in equally hushed tones, increasingly curious to learn more.  His father had hired more than a few men such as Victor...that he knew of anyway, and it had always fascinated him to be honest.  “Did you ever contract with my family’s...er,  _ organization _ ?”

“Never worked for or against your family’s business,” Victor smirked.  “I knew better than to fuck with the yakuza.  Even if some of my other, uh, _colleagues_ weren’t quite so smart.”

“Oh, well that’s good,”  Yuuri murmured to himself thoughtfully as Victor leaned closer across the table.

“I’ve heard that they have seductive little ninjas to do their bidding,” Victor whispered playfully.  

“Ha, well...yes, I’ve heard that too,” Yuuri nodded conspiratorially.  He knew he had a stupidly happy grin on his face, but couldn’t be bothered to care. “Somehow I don’t think you’d fare well against one of them.”

“Mmm, but what a way to go…” Victor’s voice trailed off as their lips connected and Yuuri felt like he was floating as the world fell away around them at 40,000 feet.


	7. Bang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shows up a couple months later with a new chappie...yikes, sorry for the delay everyone :) 
> 
> Quick note that the TAGS HAVE UPDATED. Please read them and be warned that there is fairly dark content in this chapter.
> 
> AF

***ding dong***

“Can you get that Marco?” Victor’s mother called out as she entered the living room.

“Sure.  Is he ready to go?” He responded from the far end of the first floor as he went to answer the door.

“I’ll check!” She smiled as she spotted a head full of long silvery hair and a face scrunched up in concentration. “Victor?  Are you done with your homework? Do you have your bag ready for practice?” 

“Yes and yes! Can we go now?” he asked as he put away his homework and set it next to the sofa with his skate bag.  She laughed at his eagerness as she crossed the room, heels tapping softly on the wood floors.

“Of course, just get your-” 

“Run Sasha!  Get out of-”

***bang***

His mother’s face filled with terror at the sound from the entryway, but she didn’t hesitate as she turned toward a stunned and confused looking Victor.  She swiftly moved the large rug in the middle of the room aside as loud voices drifted toward their location.  

“Find that stupid slut and her brat,” a voice barked out.  His mother pulled up a small opening in the floor and gestured for Victor to climb inside. 

“Stay here and don’t make a sound.  No matter what,” she whispered urgently as she closed the trapdoor, her azure blue eyes meeting her son’s own as he nodded in understanding.  

“I love you Vitenka,” she murmured as she smoothed the rug out once more.  There were only a few seconds of quiet before heavy footsteps and voices filled the living room above him.

“Ha, there you are, and where’s that pretty little one of yours bitch?”

“Go to hell, Andrei.  He’s already at practice.”

“What a shame, a few of my men were really looking forward to having a go with him. Maybe I’ll go pick him up after this, have a bit of fun with-”

“You sick fuck,” his mother spat out in disgust.  Victor curled up tighter at the tone of her voice.  It didn’t even sound like her. It was all _wrong_ …

“I suppose you’ll have to do instead.”  A loud cry from his mother rang out before the thud of her body hitting the ground shook the floor above him.  Victor startled and looked upward in silence at the all too thin layer of wood and rug that separated him from his mother.  

Scuffling sounds, more footsteps, dark laughter from several different men…

They intermingled with his mother’s pained moans and shrieks.  Victor reached up to touch the trapdoor with horror in his eyes, young mind unable to comprehend what they were doing to her.

“Mama,” a barely audible whimper escaped before he slapped his hands over his mouth, trying his best to heed his mother’s instructions.

Grunts, cursing and the sounds of flesh hitting flesh filled the air.  Victor wasn’t sure how long it went on as he covered his ears and rocked back and forth, telling himself to stay where he was, to be good for his mama, to do what she’d asked.

_I love you Vitenka…_

***bang***

Victor woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed.  His heart was pounding, seemingly determined to burst free from his chest as it thundered against his ribcage.  

“Victor?” Yuuri murmured as he sat up and ran a hand along the older man’s back.  “What happened?”

“A nightmare, that’s all,” Victor replied softly.  His pulse slowed with each comforting stroke of Yuuri’s fingers along his spine.

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

Victor sighed and rubbed his eyes.  The last thing he wanted to do was upset Yuuri by sharing his memories of that night.

“It’s okay if you don’t, but I just want you to know that I’m here for you if you do,” Yuuri whispered with a kiss on his cheek.   Victor felt a warmth build in his chest as he turned to look at his soulmate in the dimly lit bedroom.  The feeling of being cared for and comforted seeped into the aching hole in his heart, carved out so long ago by his mother’s death.  He took a deep breath and simply enjoyed the moments of peaceful calm that spread through his entire being.

“Thank you moya lyubov,” Victor replied as he drew the other man close and lay down again.  Yuuri pulled the blanket over them as he tucked his head under Victor’s chin, bodies comfortably entwined with one another.  He took another calming breath, trusting that Yuuri could handle what he was going to tell him before he began to speak.

“My mother was murdered in our home when I was 11 years old.  They were led by a man named Andrei who was staging a coup against my father,” he explained, voice barely louder than a whisper.  

“My mother was the long-time mistress to the Pakhan of the Moscow Bratva and that night, they meant to wipe out any trace of my father.  
That included those loyal to him and any children he had.  It wasn’t until much later that I learned I had a brother, Misha.  He was the son of my father’s other mistress, Alexandra.  Misha died that night, along with his mother.  He was only three…”  Yuuri let out a soft gasp and held him tighter.  

“It was early evening when they came.  We were just about to head to the skating rink for my practice when they arrived. When I turned 17, Yakov let me read the police and coroner’s report, so I could piece together what I heard with what I couldn't see."  Victor explained.  "Our bodyguard Marco-”

Victor swallowed hard and continued, knowing that he needed to tell Yuuri this, needed to get this out. 

“They shot him in the head at point-blank range almost as soon as he answered the door.  He died instantly.  My mother hid me away in a small space beneath the floor before they reached us.  Then they…”  

_“Stop!  Get your hands off me!  Ahhh…hngh…don’t-”_

They had brutalized her for so long, unconcerned that the police they’d paid off would come calling as she’d screamed loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.  They’d just laughed and continued raping her, beating her, until finally…

***bang***

“The official report listed me as missing and eventually presumed dead after a few years.” Victor’s explained as he continued to recall moments from that terrible night and the following day. He’d stayed curled up in a ball beneath the floorboards, scared to move, scared to call out for help.  He already knew there was no one alive in the house to respond, and he didn’t want to accept that the first thing he’d see upon emerging from his hiding spot would be his mother’s corpse.

“I was down there for about a day before Yakov found me,” Victor murmured. “He’d heard through his contacts about the hits and rushed over to the house after no one answered the phone, but…”

It was too late.

The older gentleman, a loyal friend of his father who he’d only met a handful of times had pulled him up from beneath the floor, covering his eyes to save Victor from seeing the carnage.  His mother had told him on the few occasions Yakov visited that Victor could trust him to look after him if anything happened to either of them.  

He never thought they meant something like this, and he sure as hell never expected that the man taking him in was a former assassin turned information broker.

The next couple of days were a blur.  He’d been in a catatonic state as his mind tried to protect itself from what it had witnessed.  The thing that stuck with him all these years was the sickly, iron-tinged scent that had filled the air as Yakov led him from the house.   

He wouldn’t recognize what it was until years later as he killed and tortured his way to infamy as an assassin.

Blood.

So much blood…

“Victor?” Yuuri’s thumb gently brushed against his cheek, banishing the tears that had fallen.  “Shh, I’m here.  I’m so sorry that happened to you and your family.”

“It was a long time ago,” Victor replied as he closed his eyes and leaned into the other man’s touch. “I want to look forward...to my future with you.  Not hold on to the past.”

“I like the sound of that,” Yuuri yawned softly and burrowed deeper into Victor’s arms.  

The older man wrapped himself tightly around his soulmate and tried to focus on happier thoughts as he lay awake, unwilling to chance another dream like before.  He was so thankful for the slumbering man in his arms.  The opportunity to build a life with someone else was never a thing he thought he’d experience.  He’d long ago resigned himself to a solitary existence, but now that he’d had a taste of what this felt like; to connect with someone so deeply, to feel such affection and joy in their presence…

He couldn’t imagine a world without Yuuri in it.  He kissed the top of the younger man’s head and smiled.

_I won’t let anything happen to you.  I’ll keep you safe._

_I promise._

**Author's Note:**

> Do you want more? Let me know what you thought in the comments :)
> 
> I'm on Tumblr!  
> [AnimeFanimeFic](https://animefanimefic.tumblr.com/)  
> #lastfirstfic
> 
> Check out my other YOI fics: Yutopia and Sunset in Hasetsu


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